Optical lens grinding and surfacing machine



MaY ZZ, 1928. 1,671,027

H. A. GEORGE OPTICAL LENS GRINDING AND SURFACING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l I '3 @3201 Y I I j 1L9. do i M a -|||||1 {1 J2 Emi ""6 r: llllllll w WITNES 1 1 I'NVENTOR war, 1 flrmazzifi'izorye BY z:

Y ATTORNEYS May '22, 1928. 1,671,027

. H. A. GEORGE OP'HCAL LENS GRINDING AND SURFACING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 U III fimanflozye. BY (4M 96 A TTORNE YS May 22, 1928. H. A. GEORGE OPTICAL LENS GRINDING AND SURFACING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheei a J3 J2 v M jz'a' f J lmlllllllllll L W J9 ll sa dd a! 39 a '24 u IN; T i: 0 g H93 J] 42 1/ J1 L 33 359 3 45 86 35 IN VEN TOR "k/ifarmcmfleozye. 6 ZWM 34 A TTORNE YS May 22, 1928 H. A. GEORGE OPTICAL LENS GRINDING AND SURFACING MACHINE 4v sheets sheet.

Filed April 24, 1923 'ENTOR Jflerman .iW

A TTORNE YS TNESSES WZ'WJZWa f Patented May 22, .1928.

UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE."

HERMAN LEVINE GEORGE, OI SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

or'rrcu. mans azamnme nn summarize nacnnm. j,

Application ma April24,1828. semi no. sumo;

being had to the accompanying drawings,

15 in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the general arrangement of the machine,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the 2 line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1, v

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line -55 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section onthe line 6-6 of Figure 2. Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the clutch pinion and brake, i

Fig. 8 isa detail plan view of parts shown 3 in Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of the stationary base with the cover removed, and

Fig. 10 is a detail section on the line 1010 of Fig. 1 showing the eccentric which oscillates the horizontal arm.

In carrying out the invention provision is made of a base 1 which has any suitable arrangement of webs or lugs 2 on the outside by means of which it may be fastened on top of a table 3. .The base 1 is hollow, as shown in Fig. 6, and contains bevel gears Land 5 by means of which the arbor 6 is driven. v

A lid 7 covers the base 1. The base is intended to be filled with a lubricant so that the various gears may work easily. This lubricant will find its way into the standard 8 in which the arbor 6 has bearing. Adjustments of the arbor may be made by 59 means of a screw 9 at the bottom. The adjustments are fixed by nuts 10. The adjustments are vertical. as may be readily seen in Fig; 6, and are for the'purpose of tightening or loosening the arbor in the standard when required.

A boss 11 at "one side of the standard 8 vbymeans of the clam supports one-end of the main drive shaft 12.

This shaft carries the gear 5. Theother gear 4 is carried by the arbor and by the engagement of the ears the arborcisdriven. The upper end of t e arhrfnextends through an opening in the cover 7 It is slotted at 13 to recelve the fastening means or key of either'the convex tool 14 (Fig. 1) or'the concave tool 15. In practice, the grinding tools may be convex, concave, spherical or cylindrical. i

These tools are for ing optical lenses. ey are commonl known as laps in the art. The lap or 'n ing tool 14 is for the pur ose of roflii sing a concave lens having eitl ier a sp cylindrical surface. The lap 15 reduces a concave lens having either a-sp erical or cylindrical surface. Revertingnow to the base 1 it is to be observed that the shaft 12 passes through a bushing 16 which is fastened in the wall 17 of the base. This wall .inding and finisherical. or

includes a circular disk 18 which is abutted 4 hood which 'keepsithe opposed faces of the,

disks 18 and 19 in contact.

It has flanges 22 (Fig. 6) which aid this purpose. One side of the clam device is split at 23 (Fig. 1) andhwhen t e binding lever 24 is turned down, the disks are The binding device is clamped together. held in place on the disk 18 by means of a screw 25. The reader will readily see that 4 device the u right column 20 may be hel either vertica or at any degree of inclination at one side :or the other within the range of the machine.

Mounted on the exposed end of the main drive shaft 12 is a pulley 26 to which the belt 27 of a suitable driving motor is applied. The shaft 12 also carries a bevel pinion 28 (Fig. 6) which meshes with a similar inion 29 on the lower end of a shaft 30 in t e upright column 20. This column has portions 31 in which the shaft is journalled. The shaft is held in position by a bevel ear 32 which is aflixed to the upper end. he

hub of the gear rests on the upper end of the column 20 and therefore may be said to provide a thrust bearing.

Upward extensions 33 from the column 20 furnish sup ort for a pm '34 upon which the ears 35 0 the horizontal arm 36 are mounted. The arm 36 is adapted to oscillate upon the pin 34 and this oscillation is entire- 1y independent of the particularad ustment in-which the column 20 may be fixed. The oscillation of the arm 36 is controlled by an eccentric 37 which has connections 38 and 39 with the horizontal arm. These connections com rise the tube 38 and rod 39 which latter is a apted to telescope within the tube. The

tube 38 has a head 40 (Fig. 1) in which the eccentric operates. The rod 39 has a pivotal connection 41 with the horizontal arm 36. A clam ing device 42. including the handle 43,-is a apted to fix the connections 38 and i 39 at any desired adjustment.

The eccentric 37 is carried by a shaft 44, mounted in suitable bearings 45 in the hollow base 1 (Figs. 9 and 10) and carries a worm gear 46 which is driven by a worm pinion 47 on a countershaft 48. This countershaft is driven by a worm gear 49 on the main shaft 12, which gear meshes with a similar pinion 50 on the countershaft. The reader will readily see that the rotation of the grinding arbor'6 is accompanied by an oscillation of the horizontal arm' 36, but this particular mode of operation is subject to variations.

For example, it is possible to unloosen the clamping device 42 so that no oscillation of the arm 36 occurs. In this instance, the tube 38 will simply rise and fall, due to the operation of the eccentric 37, but no'corresponding motion of the rod 39 will occur on account of the loosened connection at the place 42. The position in which the oscillation of the arm 36 occurs may be varied by setting the rod 39 in various relative positions in respect to' the tube 38. The same clamping means 42 permits adjusting the arm 36 in such a manner that the oscillation will occur either at the right or left side of the longitudinal axis of the machine.

Reverting now to the bevel gear 32 on the upper end of the upright shaft 30, it is to be observed that this gear meshes with a bevel gear 51 on the pin 34, and that this gear in turn meshes with the bevel gear 52 on the lower end of a short shaft 53 which is ractically a continuation of the shaft 30.

he pinion 51 acts as the driver and the pinion 52 the driven member for the shafts situated thereabove. The upper end of this 4 shaft carries a bevel gear 54 which meshes with a corresponding gear 55 on a horizontal shaft 56 in the arm 36. Gears 57 and 58 transmit the driving motion of the shaft 56 to the sleeve 75 and spindle 59 which spindle reaches down into proximity with the upper exposed end of the grinding arbor 6. The

driving connections between the ears 52 and 58 may be regarded as the spin le train. It is at the placewhere the splndle 59 and arbor 6 oppose each other that the grinding and surfacing of the lenses takes place.

Explanation of how the griding tools or laps 14 and 15 (Fig. 1) are fitted upon the grinding arbor ismade above. The spindle 59 is ada ted 'to' carry the blank to be ground.

his is done by ,means of a lens block 60 to which the blank 61 "which is to be ground, is cemented.

he lens block 60 has a socket 62 ada ted to be occupied ,by the ball-pointed en 63 ofthe spindle 59. This end ofthe spindle has alining pairs of pins 64 and 65 the latter J a little higher than the former, adapted to i keeps the lens in proper position throughout its travel across the lap.

Pressure is obtained by means of a spring 67 which is disposed on the spindle 59 be- The tweena collar 68 and a presser foot 69. presser foot is carried by a bolt 70 which is slidable in a sheath or tube 71. The belt has a handle 72 by means of which it may lUU be moved up and down in the vertical. slot 73 of the tube. This slot has a. plurality of laterals 74 (Fig. 2) into any one of which the handle 72 may be pocketed in order to quickly and conveniently set the presser foot 69 at any desired position. Obviously, the farther the presser foot is moved downward, the greater will be the tension of the spring 67 and the greater will be the pressure of the -lens on the surface of the grinding tool.

A sleeve 75 carries the spindle 59. The sleeve has a key 76 which occupies a slot 77 running lengthwise of the spindle. The key and slot connection causes the spindle to rotate with the sleeve but at the same time to permit relative sliding motion on the spindle.

A key 78 fastens the gear 58 to the sleeve so that the latter is rotated. A bearing 79 assists in stabilizing both the sleeve and s indle. A handle 80, loose on the upper en of the spindle 59 is provided merely to facilitate adjustments of the machine when such are required. A handle 81 (Figs. 1, 3 and 5) projecting from the side of the upright column 20, is for the same purpose.

Bearings 82 (Fig. 6) support the horizontal shaft 56. The horizontal arm 36'is constructed somewhat on the order of a trough consists of a clutch lever 84v Figs in which the shaft" 56 and the various driv ars are situated. If desired, this" trougi m'a be filled, with a lubricant which is su cient y heavy to prevent excessive leak-i age at the various downward openings at the 1 ing slot 53 and sleeve 75. *A, cover 83 closes the topof thehorizontal arm.

Provision is made for stopping the rotation of the grinding or lens s indie 59. This provision is operative only in respect to the rotation of thejspindle and does not affect the oscillation of the horizontal arm 36 nor the rotation of the grindin arbor 6. It 1 and 7) which is adapted to slide the sleeve 85 (Fig. 8) along a rod 86 to move thefbevel gear- 51 either into or out of mesh with the companion gears 32 and 52 (Fig. 6). In .the former instance, the driving of the "spindle 59 is accomplished. In the latter instance, the driving spindle remainsdormant.

Furthermore, by means of a brake 87 rigid fixing of the driving spindle ma be accomplished. This provision is ma e so that. the upright column 20 may be adjusted in. either direction from its vertical position,

without changing the relative position or alinement of the lower pin 64 in the spindle 59 to the slot 13 in the grinding arbor. The application of the brake occurs when the lever 84 is moved over far enough to bring the notch 90 into position to fit u onor receive a pin 93 on the adjacent s1de of the upper part of the column 20.

This notch is one'of three formed in the under edge of the: lever 84, the others being designated 91 and 92. In placing the leverv 84 so as to engage the middle notch 91 with the pin 93, both clutch gear 51 and brake .87 are disenga ed and are thenin a neutral position. By

ringing the notch 92 in engagement with the pin 93, the clutch gear '51 is caused to engage the companion gears 32 and 52 so that driving motion may be imparted. A fork 88 engages an adjacent part of the arm 36 and furnishes a guide for the proper movement of the brake 87.

7 20 is encased as shown in Fig. 1, as it would i be undesirable to have the driving gears within exposed. The encasement permits fillingthe chamber formed thereby with a lubricant, which could otherwise not be so readily applied.

The operation may be briefly reviewed to advantage. Driving power is applied at the pulley 26 on the main drive shaft 12, and when thus driven', the shaft 12 in turn rosame direction, as the. reader can readily ascertain b tracing the} driving motion throu ht e various bevel gears.

Both the spind e .59'and' theiarbor 6 are driven at the same rate of speed.

The reader ma question how anygrinding motion is per ormed when the arbor and lens spindle turn together. The grinding motion occurs by virtue of the operation of the eccentric '37. This eccentric turns continuously when .the machine is in operation. The turning of the eccentric causes the horizontal arm 36 to rock back and forth on the pin 34 which constitutes the pivot. I This rocking back and forth or oscillation of the horizontal arm causes the blank 61 to be ground to the proper convexity or concavity,

epending on whether the lap 15 or the lap 14 (Fig. 1) is used. Theformer, being of concave formation, produces the conveir surface of either a spherical or c lindrical lens. The latter, being of convex orm, produces the concave surface of either a spherical-or cylindrical lens. Were it not for the oscillation of. the horizontal arm 36, the .spindle 59 and arbor 6 would rotate together on one axis and no relative movement between the and tool to turn as this would produce wavesand streaks on the lens surface. When a lens is being ground while the lens spindle as y,

59 occupies a neutral position (as when the lever 84 is moved to engage the notch 91 i I with the pin 93, Fig. 1') the lens 61 and spindle 59 revolve by friction or contact with the lap onthe grinding arbor, and not through powerapplied to the spindle in the usual way. With the driver gear 51 out of mesh, the upright column 20 and its carried parts could be moved in either direction from its vertical position, without revolving the spindle 59 on its own axis, provided that the operator were careful not to grasp the handle 80. With the brake 87 applied, the operator may use the handle 80 in moving the column without danger of revolving the spindle 59, thus throwing the lower pins and slots out of a-linenient.

This alinement is all important in grinding either the concave or convex surface of a cylindrical lens to a predeternii ed axial meridian. In grinding either th convex or concave surface of a cylindricallens, the oscillation may be stopped, but the spindle and lap should continue to revolve, which fact is not true in grinding a spherical lens,

tools 14 and 15 are'ordinarily either convex or concave, but the curvature of their surface is not necessarily of spherical form.

'In the art -of lens grinding, the grinding It ma be in cylindrical form, that is, one in which the anal meridians vary. It is a function of the machine to cause the oscillation of the horizontal arm 36 so so that the lens spindle 59 Swings in relation to the driving arbor 6. The. clam-ping device 42 is useful in adjusting the lens spindle 59 into pcrpendicularity with the curvature of any lap, whether it be concave, convex, spherical or cylindrical, thereby causing the lens teat all times travel in a straight line across the lap in a plane at right angles to the main drive shaft 12. Various degrees of oscillation of the arm 36 are produced by lengthening or shortening the telescopic connections 38 and 39 between the arm and the eccentric which oscillates it.

Variations of pressure of the blank 61 on the grinding tool or lap are produced by adjustin the bolt 70. .Such adjustments will move the presser foot 69 up or down to accordingly vary the tension of the spring 67. Although the spindle 59 is positively driven, it is, nevertheless, capable of longitudinal movement by virtureof the key and slot connect-ions 76 and 7 7.

A universal or ball and socket joint is produced by the peculiar formation of the end of the spindle 63 and the lens body 60. The former has an arrangement of crossed pins G t-and 65 which occupy slots 66 in the socket 62. This arrangement permits the application of uniform and even pressure of the blank upon the grinding tool. The

pressure may be applied and released While the machine is in operation. In Fig. 1, the pressure is applied. In Fig. 6, it is released.

The oscillation of the horizontal arm 36 is entirely independent of the position of the column 20. This column is radially adjustable in respect to the main drive shaft 12, the axis of which is the center on which i the column is adapted to swing. The coltill umn includes a disk 19 which is mounted to turn on the end of the bushing 16 in which the shaft has bearing.

(the latter being a part of the base 1) form part of the column adjusting means.

By unloosening the clamping device 24, (Fig. 1) the column 20 may be swung to either side or into position on the vertical center of the machine. The handle 81 is used in doing this. When the desired angular position is' attained. the clamping device is tightened so that the column remains where it is. put. The spindle c59rmay be brought to rest by disengaging the clutch gear51. This is done by lifting the lever 8& (Fig. 7) and moving it over until the notch 91 may be fitted down over the pin 92.

At this time the brake 87 will engage one side of the bevel gear 52 and thereby lock all driven parts depending thereon for motion.

The spindle 59, ,too, will be locked and the subsequent grinding function will be accom- The disks 19 and 18,.

plishedby. the particular lap then in position on the arbor 6 movingagainstthe-blank The clutch 51 should be disengaged, or engaged, while t-he machine is at rest. As stated before, the bearing 79 not onlyiaids in stabilizing :the sleeve 75, but also materially rigidities the spindle 59.

\Vhile the construction and arrangen'ient of the improved optical lens grinding apparatus as herein described and claimed, is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications andjchanges may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim V 1. A device of the character; described comprising an arbor, a drive shaft having means for rotating the arbor, a spindle disposed in opposition to the axis of the arbor, a train of gears for rotating the spindle from the main drive shaft, means by which one of the gears can be moved into disengagement to stop the rotation of the spindle, and means adapted to interlock with such adjacent one of the gears as will hold the spindle rigid.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base, a wall of the base having a disk, a bushing fixed in the wall and projecting from the disk, a column havmg a corresponding disk fitted on the pr jecting part of the bushing to turn thereon, I

clamping means engaging the disks by which the column may be adjusted at radial positions upon the bushing, a drive shaft journalled in said bushing and extending into the base, an arbor mounted in the base and projecting therefrom, means by which the arbor is rotated from the drive shaft, a shaft mounted in the column, a spindle driven by said shaft, a driving gear carried by the drive shaft, and a pinion carried by the column shaft in mesh with said gear traveling thereon when said adjustments of I the column are made.

3. The combination in a device of the character described comprising an arm, a

bearing on the washer at one end, a presser foot adjacent to the end of the sleeve bearing on the spring, a bolt by which said presser foot is carried including a: handle. and a sleeve carried by the opposite end of the arm in which the bolt is movable said sleeve having a slot with laterals in which the handle is to be fitted to held various adjustments of the presser foot and corresponding tensions of the spring.

4. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable arbor, a rotatable -spindle disposed in opposition to the axis the spindle,

of the arbor, an arm carrying a support by which the arm is lnngedly mounted upon said carrying means for atera1 rocking motion and adj ustments, means to lix the support at any one of various angular ositions in a vertical plane, means to continuously rock the arm upon said support in a direction parallel to said plane while the support is in any of said positions and thereby continuously oscillate the spindle in respect to is inhoperatiomsaid rocking means including telescopic members, and being rovided withmeans by which said mem ers are tightened to rock sai arm, or loosened to leave the arm unaffected while the rocking means continues to function.

5. A device of the character described comprising an arbor, means to rotate the arbor, a spindle disposed in opposition to the axis of the arbor, means to rotate the spindle including driver and driven gears, and means for disconnecting said driver gear and at the same time gripping the teeth of the driven gear to positively lock said driven gear so that the spindle is held stationary while the arbor continues to rotate.

6. A device of the character described comprising an arbor, a spindle disposed in opposition to the axis of the arbor, an arm by which the spindle is carried, a support, means by which the arm is mounted on the support to rock, means'in connection with the arm to continuously rock it on its support and continuously oscillate the spindle in respect to t e arbor while the device is in operation, a main drive shaft having means for rotating thefarbor, driving con-- nections for rotating the spindle during said oscillation occupying said supporting means and arm and composed of an arbor train of gears and a spindle train of gears, means incorporated in said driving connections including a gear connecting said trains, and means for shifting said gear to disconnect the trains, and stop the spindle rotation during oscillation at the same time grip the nearest-gear of the spindle train to lock that train and the spindle without regard to the particular position.

7. A device of the character described comprising an arbor, a drive shaft having meansfor rotating the arbor, posed in opposition to the arbor. means including a train of gears for rotatingthe spindle from the main drive shaft, means including a movable sleeve having such connection with one of the gears as will permit moving said gear into disengagement to thereby stop the rotation of the spindle, and

means having such connection with the sleeve as to move therewith and interlock the arbor while the device nection with said collar, and

a spindle dis-' j sleeve is movable, means constituting a brake with which the sleeve also. has connection, and means for moving the sleeve in one direction thereby shifting said connected gear into a disengaging) position and at the same time engage t e rake with such adjacent one of the gears as will hold thespindle rigid.

9. A device of the character described comprising a drive shaft, a spindle, means includin a train of gears for rotating the s indle rom the main drive shaft, means inc uding a sleeve having connection with one of the gears, relatively open means including a rod upon whichthesleeve is movable,

means including a brake with which the sleevev also has connection, relatively fixed means by which the brake is uided, and means including a lever by whic the sleeve is movable in one direction upon the rod to simultaneously disengage said connected ear and engage said brake with such adacent one of the gears as will hold thespindle rigid, said brake then being guided by said guide means.

10. device ofthe character described comprisin of gears or rotating the-spindle from the main drive shaft, :1. pin upon which one of the driving ears is journaled, a rod fixed adjacent to t e pin, means slidable on the rod havin connection with ,said driving gears, a co lar slidable on the pin and havmg a brake, means with which a portion of the brake has engagement for guidance independently of e in in slidin a lever having connection with said slida le means a drive shaft, a spindle, a train on the rod, said slidable means having conin and slot connections associated with said lever for holding the driving gear either in a driving, neutral or disengaged position, said brake engaging an adjacent one of the gears when the driving gear isfully disengaged to thereb hold the spindle rigid.

11. n a device of the character described, an upright column having extensions, a horizontal arm having ears overlapping the extensions, a tool spindle mounted upon the arm, a horizontal shaft journaled in'the arm, an upright drive shaft journaled in the column including an extension journaled in a portion of the arm, a pin by which the arm is rockably connected with the column "at said horizontal, extension and upright shafts, a gear slidably mounted upon the pin, and means permitting shifting said slidable gear for connection and disconnection 'of the driving power to said spindle.

12. In a device of the character described, a column having extensions, an arm having ears overlapping the extensions, a tool spindle rotatably carried by the arm, driving means for the spindle including a plurality of shafts and gears mounted both 'upon the column and the arm, one of the driving gears being located at the connection between said arm and column. a pinby which said connection is made through the ears and extensions, said pin providing the bearing for said driving gear, a collar also mounted on the pin and having a brake and a fork, said fork being guided upon an adjacent part of the arm, a rod fixed'between the extension of the column, and means including a sleeve slidable upon the rod having connection with both the driving gear and the collar to slide both simultaneously in respect to an adjacent one 01? the gears.

13. A device of the character des-ribed comprising a base, an upright column carried by the base, means for both supporting the column upon the base and permitting angular adjustments of the column in ,a vertical plane, ahorizontal arm carried by the column, means by which the arm is pivoted upon the column to rock in the same direction in which the column is adjustable, an arbor journaled upon the base, a tool spindle journaled upon the arm, means for ro?king the arm upon its pivotal mounting, and common driving means for the arbor, spindle and rocking means.

,HERMAN ARVENE GEORGE. 

